William Atherton (born William Atherton Knight; Philadelphia, July 30, 1947) is an American actor whose career spans theater, film, and television. After a solid theatrical training, which earned him a Drama Desk Award, he made his feature film debut in a leading role in Steven Spielberg's *The Sugarland Express* (1974). His fame is inextricably linked to a series of iconic roles as bureaucratic and arrogant antagonists in 1980s cinema, notably EPA agent Walter Peck in *Ghostbusters* (1984), opportunistic reporter Richard Thornburg in *Die Hard* (1988) and its sequel, *Die Hard 2* (1990), and Professor Jerry Hathaway in *Real Genius* (1985). Despite the strong association with these characters, Atherton has maintained a prolific and versatile career, appearing in numerous film productions, such as *The Last Samurai* (2003), and various television series, solidifying his reputation as a reliable and talented character actor.